Archive for October, 2007
« Previous EntriesMacrinus
Friday, October 26th, 2007Marcus Opellius Macrinus was born in 165 into a middle class equestrian family. His education allowed him to rise to the Roman political class and over the years he became a very capable lawyer and became an important bureaucrat under Severus’s rule. After the death of Severus and the ascension of Caracalla he became prefect […]
Geta
Friday, October 26th, 2007Publius Septimius Geta born in 189 and co-ruled with his father Septimius Severus and older brother Caracalla from 209 until 211 when he was murdered by his brother.Growing up was difficult for Geta as he was always second to his older brother and conflicts were common. Caracalla was always second in command and even though […]
Caracalla
Friday, October 26th, 2007Caracalla was born in 186 and ruled from 211 to 217 The son of Severus, he was known by his nickname Caracalla which refers to the hooded tunic he regularly wore and made a trend out of. When his father died and left him the throne in 211, he was actually proclaimed co-ruler with his […]
Septimius Severus
Friday, October 26th, 2007Lucius Septimius Severus born in 146 and ruled from 193 to 211. Severus was the first Roman emperor to be born in Africa and although his family was only of equestrian rank, he was made a senator by Marcus Aurelius in 172 and 18 years later became consul. After Pertinax was murdered, his troops proclaimed […]
Didius Julianus
Friday, October 26th, 2007Marcus Severus Didius Julianus born in 133 and ruled in 193.After the death of Pertinax, Julianus who was a senator at the time, proclaimed himself as the new emperor, and this act in itself triggered a brief civil war which was won by Julianus’s successor Septimius Severus who then ordered the his execution.
He was […]
Pertinax
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007Publius Helvius Pertinax born in 126 and ruled for a short period in 193. In his early life he was a teacher of Grammar but eventually became a commissioned officer after he sought a more rewarding and fulfilling career. During the Parthian war he was promoted several times and became governor of the provinces of […]
Commodus
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus born 161 and ruled from 180 to 192, he was the son of Marcus Aurelius and had a twin who died at age 5. In 177 after traveling to many battlefronts with his father, Marcus Aurelius granted his son the rank of Imperator and in 177 Commodus became consul, making him […]
Lucius Verus
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007Lucius Ceionius Commodus Verus Armeniacus born in 130.Verus was said to have been an excellent student, receiving his education from a famous tutor of that time, Marcus Cornelius Fronto and was skilled in the writing and reciting of poetry and speeches.
He ruled as co-emperor with Marcus, something which had never occurred in Roman history, and […]
Marcus Aurelius
Wednesday, October 24th, 2007Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus born in 121. His reign came about because Hadrian adopted Antoninus on the proviso that Marcus and Lucius Ceionius Commodus (later to be named Lucius Aurelius Verus) would be adopted to be next in line as rulers. In his youth, Marcus was portrayed through letters as an intelligent, hardworking and serious […]
Antoninus Pius
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus Pius born in 86 and ruled from 138 to 161. He was the second heir adopted by Hadrian but rose to power after the death of Hadrian of old age and the death of Hadrian’s first heir Lucius Aelius Caesar who was of poor health.Before becoming emperor he was […]
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